Salary awards support next-generation researchers advancing arthritis care
Toronto, ON, October 7, 2025 – Arthritis Society Canada is proud to announce the recipients of its 2025 Training Awards, a vital investment in Canada’s pipeline of arthritis researchers. This funding supports promising graduate PhD and post-doctoral trainees working to transform how arthritis is diagnosed, treated and prevented.
This year’s awards include eight PhD Salary Awards and three Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards, reflecting Arthritis Society Canada’s commitment to accelerating progress through research excellence.
The PhD Salary Awards provide up to $35,000 annually for graduate students in full-time research training, renewable for up to three years. Similarly, the Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards offer between $40,000 and $50,000 annually for postdoctoral fellows, also for up to three years. Both awards are funded 50% by Arthritis Society Canada and matched by funding partners, including government entities, industry, non-profits, or research grants held by supervising scientific investigators.
“Arthritis is the most common chronic condition in Canada, affecting 6 million people in Canada and costing our economy $33 billion each year, yet it remains significantly underfunded and under-researched,” says Dr. Siân Bevan, Chief Science Officer at Arthritis Society Canada. “By empowering emerging researchers today, we’re laying the foundation for tomorrow’s innovations and bringing us closer to a world where no one has to live with the pain of arthritis.”
All 11 awards are aligned with patient priorities and directly support Arthritis Society Canada’s mission to create a future without arthritis. Among this year’s recipients is Vienna Cheng, a PhD student at the University of British Columbia – Arthritis Research Canada, whose research focuses on the use of arthritis medications during pregnancy.
“Many forms of arthritis disproportionately affect women during their childbearing years. Yet limited research exists on how novel arthritis medications impact both maternal and neonatal health,” says Cheng. “This support from Arthritis Society Canada allows me to pursue research that not only fills a critical gap in evidence but could directly improve how patients and providers make treatment decisions. It’s incredibly meaningful to contribute to research that empowers people with arthritis to plan their families with greater confidence.”
Under the supervision of Dr. Mary De Vera, Cheng will analyze 20 years of prescription drug records and birth registry data from British Columbia. Using advanced statistical methods, her work will help determine whether continuing or stopping novel arthritis medications during pregnancy affects health outcomes for mothers and babies. These findings will provide critical insights to support evidence-based decisions during family planning and pregnancy.
Here are the full details of this year’s Training Award recipients:
PhD Salary Awards:
- Vienna Cheng, University of British Columbia – Arthritis Research Canada: Biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs in pregnancy: Patterns of use and maternal neonatal outcomes
- Philippe Meidinger, Université Laval: Could a feedback device help manage work-related shoulder disorders? – A mixed methods pilot study
- Alexander Rico, Western University: The role of mechanical loading in regulating ectopic mineralization in DISH
- Parsa Shafiei, University of British Columbia: Decoding BMP2 and BMP7-mediated programing in chondrocyte progenitors relevant to osteoarthritis progression
- Kasara Toth, University of Calgary: Recombinant PRG4; Can a new post-surgical approach help patients “out-run” post traumatic osteoarthritis?
- Carmen Ucciferri, University Health Network: Functional alterations in innate immune cells during progression to Systemic Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease (SARD)
- Sofya Ulanova, Western University: Uncovering homocitrulline-specific T Cells in rheumatoid arthritis: From mechanism to topical peptide therapy
- Tadiwa Waungana, University of Calgary: Load matters: Modelling the association between joint loading and bone geometry in knee osteoarthritis
Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards:
- Dr. Claire Adams, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research: Improving dissemination of research results to patients: A scleroderma patient-centered intervention network project
- Dr. Nabangshu Das, University Health Network: Profiling synovial macrophage subtypes in knee osteoarthritis: A multiome approach to decode inflammatory and fibrotic mechanisms
- Dr. Carson Halliwell, Université de Sherbrooke: Beyond the joint: Investigating frailty progression in males and females with lower-limb osteoarthritis
About Arthritis Society Canada
Arthritis Society Canada represents the six million people in Canada living with arthritis today, and the millions more who are impacted or at risk. Fueled by the trust and support of our donors and volunteers, Arthritis Society Canada is fighting arthritis with research, advocacy, innovation, information and support. We are Canada’s largest charitable funder of cutting-edge arthritis research. We will not give up our efforts until everyone is free from the agony of arthritis. Arthritis Society Canada is accredited under Imagine Canada’s Standards Program. For more information, visit arthritis.ca.
Media Contact:
Jenny Ng
Senior Manager, Public Relations & Media
Arthritis Society Canada
[email protected]
416-455-1182
